Jim Sutton's fishing report: Cold and wind kept fishing at a minimum most of the week

It’s been a pretty tough week for freshwater fishing. The cold snap did what was expected, completely shutting down the bedding bass bite in the river down around Lake George. It had been on fire the week prior.

Some of the guides are expecting the bass to move in to spawn again by maybe Sunday or Monday. Temperatures over the weekend will be as high as 75 degrees.

But the wind will continue to blow throughout the weekend and the lakes and river are already roiled and muddy from the big winds Wednesday. It may take a little longer for things to settle down.

The bluegill bite continued to be good all over the river when folks could get out between the cold and wind. Speckled perch are carrying some roe but are scattered on the drops off the shoreline vegetation. It’s been a lot of hunting and not so much catching. The warm weekend and a new moon Monday night change all that.

There has been a good report from the Rodman Dam. Both stripers and bass have moved up into the spillway under the dam. When folks could get out there was a fair bite of speckled perch in the stump fields in the lake there.

The Intracoastal Waterway

Fishing activity on the ICW has been pretty sparse because of the weather all week. The best bite going has been the yellowmouth trout and whiting in the deeper holes in the waterway. The area around Moultrie Creek is always among the best spots, but by no means the only one. Find a sandbar with a nice drop to 15 feet of water and you’ll be in the ballpark.

Sheepshead fishing remains excellent when you can get out. The fish are still carrying roe and are as big as they’ll get this year.

Otherwise, there’s not much to report. Redfish, speckled seatrout and bluefish are scattered in the creeks.

The Atlantic Ocean

There were no reports from the ledge this week. A few charter captains made it out to the local reefs and wrecks and caught tons of red snapper and jumbo black sea bass — neither of which you can possess.

Captain Billy Kerr did manage to keep a few triggerfish and ringtail porgies fishing the Desco area. He also reported catching several nice vermillion snapper — a nice surprise in water that shallow. But, again, they too are under closure by the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council.

The weather

NOAA forecasts 15 to 20 knot winds Saturday and Sunday with seas at 5 to 7 feet. Local TV stations predict 8 knot winds Saturday down to 5 on Sunday. Obviously, it can’t be both. So be sure to check the latest updates before planning a trip offshore.

But however breezy, the high Saturday will be around 70 degrees; 75 on Sunday.

Calendar

The Ancient City Game Fish Association hosts a kids fishing tournament March 16 at the Vilano Pier. Registration is at St. Augustine Marine next to the pier. Angler clinics start at 9 a.m.; Fishing begins at 10. There’s an awards ceremony with free hotdogs and sodas at noon. The first 100 kids registered receive a free rod and reel combo compliments of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.